Ajiaco

Ajiaco Bogotano

The signature soup of Bogotá: chicken simmered with three varieties of potato until the starchy ones dissolve into a creamy broth, finished at the table with guasca, corn, capers and cream.

Prep

20 min

Cook

75 min

Total

95 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3¼ lb) chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in, skin-on, a mix gives best flavour
• •12 g (¼ cup loosely packed) guasca leaves (Galinsoga parviflora), fresh, if unavailable, substitute 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro plus 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; the authentic Colombian herb is hard to find outside the Andes
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) papa criolla (yellow Andean potatoes), these dissolve and thicken the soup; substitute with a starchy, floury potato and mash some at the end
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) papa sabanera (red-skinned, waxy), hold their shape; substitute with red-skinned new potatoes
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) papa pastusa (white, all-purpose), substitute with Yukon Gold or other medium-starch potato
• •2 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked and halved
• •1 large white onion, quartered
• •3 cloves garlic, crushed
• •2 L (8½ cups) cold water
• •15 g (1 tbsp) fine salt, plus more to taste
• •1 tsp black peppercorns
• •1 bay leaf bay leaf
• •250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream (table), or crème fraîche
• •60 g (¼ cup) capers in brine, rinsed (table)
• •6 thick slices of white or sourdough bread, toasted (table), traditionally served alongside, not in the bowl

Steps

1. 1 Place chicken, onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf and 12 g (1 tbsp) of salt in a large heavy pot. Pour over the 2 L cold water and bring slowly to a boil over medium heat. Skim any grey foam that rises, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partially covered.
2. 2 Simmer for 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 75 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part) and tender. Lift the chicken out, set aside to cool slightly, then strip the meat from the bones and keep warm. Strain the broth and return it to the pot; discard the aromatics.
3. 3 While the chicken cooks, peel all three potato varieties and keep them in separate bowls. Cut the sabanera and pastusa potatoes into rough 4 cm chunks. Leave the criolla potatoes whole (they will break down).
4. 4 Bring the strained broth back to a gentle boil. Add the sabanera and pastusa potatoes plus both corn halves. Simmer 15 minutes.
5. 5 Add the whole criolla potatoes and continue to simmer for another 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing some criollas against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon so they dissolve and thicken the broth into a creamy, rustic soup. The sabanera and pastusa pieces should still hold their shape.
6. 6 Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add the guasca leaves and simmer 5 more minutes so the herb perfumes the soup. Taste and adjust salt; the broth should be well seasoned.
7. 7 To serve, place one piece of corn in each deep bowl. Ladle the soup over so each bowl gets plenty of potato pieces, chicken and creamy broth.
8. 8 At the table, each person stirs in a generous spoon of heavy cream, a spoonful of capers, and eats alongside a thick slice of toasted bread. Some Bogotanos also add a small bowl of ají (Colombian hot sauce) on the side.